Türkiye

World Braille Day, on 4 January, aims to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted people.  COVID-19 has revealed how critically important it is to produce essential information in accessible formats.

On 10 December, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Alvaro Rodriguez of Canada as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Turkey, with the host Government’s approval.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the inauguration of the Turkish House, held today:

United Nations personnel in Lebanon are responding to a fuel tank explosion in the northern district of Akkar, which killed 28 people and injured over 80 others on 15 August.  The incident comes as the country grapples with a deepening crisis and electricity shortages have forced hospitals to operate at reduced capacity.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Hundreds of thousands of people in southern Madagascar continue to suffer one of the worst droughts the region has faced in more than 40 years.  Severe lack of rain and sandstorms have made it nearly impossible to grow food, and at least 1.31 million people in the Grand Sud are severely food insecure.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has received its first shipment of more than 130,000 doses from the global COVAX Facility — the first batch of a total of 480,000 doses to arrive in the country this year to vaccinate approximately 20 per cent of the population.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary‑General António Guterres:

Expressing concern over Turkey’s recently announced plan to open the coastline of Varosha, a city on the eastern edge of Cyprus, the Security Council called today for a reversal of that decision and for the parties to avoid any unilateral action that could raise tensions on the island.